Porous gas permeable material for gas separation

ABSTRACT

A gas separator, a method for producing the gas separator, and a method for separating gases based on a property of inelasticity of the gases. The inventive gas separator is a permeable porous material for separating a mixture of gases by selectable pore size exclusion, comprising pores formed with at least one nanostructured compound. In other words, the inventive porous material can be used to separate a mixture of gases based upon the different working diameter of each of the gases. By selecting specific nanostructured compounds, the porous material can be tailored to contain pores of a predetermined size which allow gases having a working diameter smaller than the size of the pores to pass through the material while preventing the passage of gases having a working diameter greater than the size of the pores.

This application claims priority on provisional Application No.60/138,581 filed on Jun. 11, 1999, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a gas separator for gas separation, amethod for preparing the gas separator, and a method of performing gasseparation.

2. Description of the Related Art

It has been determined that there are limits to the compressibility ofgas molecules, a fact which is commonly known as the law ofincompressibility of matter. Based on this law, it has further beenfound that gas molecules behave as if they have some minimum diameter,known as their “working diameter”.

If it is desired to separate one species of gas from others, for any oneof many reasons (e.g., enhanced combustion, gas recovery, pollutioncontrol, etc.), it has been realized for some time that the idealseparation mechanism would pass one gaseous a component in a mixture,while rejecting all others in a continuous steady-state manner. Organicmembrane materials allow the passage of only certain molecules, but thispassage is typically controlled by a solution diffusion mechanism, whichis too slow (partition coefficients allow flows of 2-3 l/ft²/day whichare insufficient) a process for this approach to be used in manyindustrial gas separation applications. Other approaches have created“molecular sieves” that capture molecules based on their size or otherphysical or chemical properties. Such “sieves” are not truly sieves atall in the customary sense of the term, because no molecules passthrough them. Rather, the trapped molecules must be “cleaned out” ofthese devices periodically by changes in temperature or pressure.

Previous methods to circumvent these drawbacks by the use of porousinorganic structures have focused on producing a porous material withholes in the size range of gas molecules. However, these methods havenever attempted to create holes of a specific size, and for the specificpurpose of separating two or more well-defined gases. Furthermore, therehas been nothing in previous approaches that included the steps offirst, selecting the hole size desired, and second, creating a porousmaterial containing this hole size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a process for producing gasseparation membranes having high selectivity achieved by havingcontrolled pore sizes and narrow pore size distributions, and highpermeance, defined as flux/pressure drop, achieved by having a largevolume fraction porosity and a very thin selective layer.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process forproducing gas separators using cage-like molecules to form pores. Sincethe size and concentration of the cage-like molecules are under thecomplete control of the Experimenter, the pore size and distribution ofthe gas separator can be tailored to separate virtually any mixture ofgases in an efficient manner.

Working diameters of selected gas molecules are shown in Table 1. If thegoal is, for example, to separate oxygen from nitrogen, one would needto create a porous structure, or true molecular sieve, containing holesgreater than 3.5 Å, but less than 3.6 Å, in diameter. More correctly,the gas separator would require that one dimension of its holes bebetween these two numbers; the maximum dimension of the holes could beappreciably larger, because a gas molecule with a working diameter of3.6 Å, such as nitrogen, could not fit through any hole whose smallerdimension were smaller than this value. The ability to select hole sizeswithin a gas separator is a feature of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a vinyl POSS monomer;

FIG. 2 illustrates a vinyl POSS prepolymer;

FIG. 3 illustrates a vinyl POSS polymer;

FIG. 4 illustrates examples of channels in three different crystalforms;

FIG. 5 illustrates a rolled thin film containing channels;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a stacked thin film containing channels;

FIG. 8 illustrates close packed spheres; and

FIG. 9 illustrates deformed close packed spheres.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention, in part, is drawn to a permeable porous materialfor separating a mixture of gases by selectable pore size exclusion,comprising pores formed with at least one nanostructured compound. Inother words, the inventive porous material can be used to separate amixture of gases based upon the different working diameter of each ofthe gases. By selecting specific nanostructured compounds, the porousmaterial can be tailored to contain pores of a predetermined size whichallow gases having a working diameter smaller than the size of the poresto pass through the material while preventing the passage of gaseshaving a working diameter greater than the size of the pores.

The nanostructured compound is optionally substituted with a reactivegroup and is selected from the group consisting of a polyhedraloligomeric silsequioxane (POSS), zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin,foldamer, cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof. Possible reactivesubstituents include alcohol, alkoxysilane, amine, chlorosilane,epoxide, ester, halide, methacrylate, molecular silica, nitrile,norbornene, olefin, phosphine, silane, silanol, styrene, and mixturesthereof. The reactive substituent may be bonded directly to thenanostructured compound or may be bonded through an organic, siloxane ororganosiloxane group.

It is preferred that the nanostructured compound is a POSS derivativehaving a cage composed of silicon and oxygen, and having a molecularformula of:

Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n)

wherein n is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is a reactive substituent definedabove which may be bonded directly to the silicon atoms forming thecage. Preferably n is 8, 10, 12 and/or 14. A description of possiblecages is taught by Wichmann et al (Wichmann, D. et al. J. Phys. Chem. B,Vol. 103, pp. 10087-10091, 1999), which is incorporated herein byreference. Each of the cages taught by Wichmann et al can be furthermodified by attaching reactive substituents to the cage atoms.

Examples of POSS compounds include:

1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:

1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;

POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;

1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,111,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

POSS-diepoxide resins;

1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;

endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;

1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;

1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;

1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentayclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentayclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

POSS-modified Nylon 6;

1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

Poly(ethylnorbomenylPOSS-co-norbornene);

1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;

1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;

POSS-diepoxide resins;

POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;

1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;

1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;

1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;

Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;

endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;

endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;

1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;

1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;

endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;

endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;

1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;

Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene);

poly(vinylsilsesquioxane);

and structures having 10 and 12 silicon atoms in the cage, such as thefollowing.

The nanostructured compound is preferably covalently bonded to a largermolecule, for example, as a pendant group on an organic ororganosiloxane polymer. In addition or in the alternative, thenanostructured compound is a repeat unit in an oligomer or polymer. Anexample of oligomeric binding of the POSS is as follows:

The gas permeable porous material of the present invention preferablyincludes a film forming agent. The film forming agent is a blend of atleast two different polymers or is a random or block copolymer of atleast two different polymeric segments.

The film forming agent has at least one polymeric segment selected fromthe group consisting of polyvinyl, polycarbonate, polyurethane,poly(diorgano)siloxane, polysulfone, polyamide, poly(epoxide),polyepichlorohydrin, polyether, polyester, polyketone, and polyalkylene.Wherein the organo-group of the poly(diorgano)siloxane is selected fromthe group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl,iso-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; wherein thepolyvinyl is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol,poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene), polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide,poly(vinyl acetate), poly(alkyl)acrylate, poly(alkyl)methacrylate,poly(acrylic acid) or salt thereof, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene,poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) or salt thereof, and poly(vinyl methylketone); wherein the polyether is selected from the group consisting ofpoly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(ethyleneterephthalate), poly(ethylene succinate), polyacetal, andpolytetrahydrofuran; and wherein the polyalkylene is selected from thegroup consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and polybutadiene. Also,wherein the alkyl group of the poly(alkyl)acrylate orpoly(alkyl)methacrylate is selected from the group consisting of methyl,ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, butyl and 2-ethylhexyl.

The gas permeable porous material may be cured with heat or with acuring agent such as peroxide.

In the preparation of the gas permeable porous material, thenanostructured compound may be bonded through a reactive group to thefilm forming agent.

The gas permeable porous material has a pore concentration of 10¹⁵ to10²⁰ pores/m², preferably 10¹⁶ to 10¹⁸ pores/m².

The gas permeable porous material can be molded into any form to fit thedesign needs of the associated apparatus. Preferably the porous materialis formed into a film.

The present invention, in part, is drawn to an apparatus for separatinga mixture of gases by size exclusion, comprising a chamber made of a gasimpermeable material, wherein the chamber has an opening sealed with aporous film formed of the gas permeable porous material of the presentinvention. The apparatus has n chambers in a series with n−1 porousfilms, wherein each chamber has at least one opening sealed with theporous film in communication with an opening in another chamber, andwherein n is a whole number greater than 1. Preferably, n is a wholenumber greater than 2 and the openings in the series of chambers aresealed with porous films having a decreasing average pore size.

For the separation of a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, the minimumrequirements are two chambers connected by a passage sealed with theinventive porous membrane tailored to have pores with a diameter of 3.55Å. The mixture is charged into the first chamber. Due to the fact thatthe working diameter of oxygen is 3.46 Å and that of nitrogen is 3.64 Å,only oxygen will pass through the porous membrane into the secondchamber.

A more complicated setup is required for the separation of a combustiongas containing oxygen, nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide. In a seriesof four chambers, the porous membrane between the first and secondchamber has an average pore diameter of 3.55 Å, the porous membranebetween the second and third chambers has an average pore diameter of3.4 Å, and the porous membrane between the third and fourth chamber hasan average pore diameter of 3.0 Å. In this setup, water will passthrough to the fourth chamber for collection, carbon dioxide will beremoved from the third chamber, oxygen from the second chamber andnitrogen is not able to pass through any of the membranes and will becollected from the first chamber.

The inventive method of separating a mixture of at least two gases couldbe applied to any mixture of gases wherein each gas has a differentworking diameter. The inventive porous material could be used toseparate a mixture of gases flowing from an industrial exhaust. Ideally,the inventive porous material would isolate gases which are harmful tothe environment from the industrial exhaust mixture of gases.

The preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes Polyhedral OligomericSilsesquioxane (POSS) materials, which

TABLE 1 Working Diameters of Gas Molecules Molecular Diameter Gas(Angstroms) Hydrogen 2.89 Helium 2.6 Oxygen 3.46 Nitrogen 3.64 CarbonDioxide 3.3 Methane 3.8

are used to modify the molecular structures of monomers or polymers,such as polymethylmethacralate (PMMA). The POSS materials create a rigid“backbone” of inorganic material within the organic molecular structureof monomers and polymers, separating the organic components and actuallycreating a small hole in the organic material. FIG. 1 illustrates amolecular structure of unmodified POSS and FIG. 2 illustrates amolecular structure of partially polymerized POSS. The hole sizeillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are on the order of Angstroms, which isprecisely the size required for gas separation in a true molecularsieve. Furthermore, the hole size can be varied over an appreciablerange, depending upon the combination of the specific POSS material andthe monomer or polymer selected. If more selectivity or “fine tuning” ofthe hole sizes is required, the POSS materials can be used with organicmaterials that possess considerable elasticity. If such materials arestretched, the holes in the material become elongated in the directionof stretching, and become smaller in the direction normal to thestretching force. As explained previously, only one dimension of thehole needs to be within the desired limits. For example, a hole in aPOSS-modified material may initially be round, with a diameter of 5.0 Å.By stretching the material, the holes can be transformed into ovals,with a length of perhaps 7.0 Å, but a height of 3.5 Å. A nitrogenmolecule, with a diameter of 3.6 Å, could not fit through such a hole.For the described reasons of basic hole size tailorability, plus themodifying effect of stretching, the use of POSS-modified organics is anideal method of “tailoring” the hole size for the specific gasseparation desired.

Conventional methods depend on very complex physical and chemicaltheories, notably membrane laws by Fick, and solution-diffusion of gasesin polymers. Zeolites used as molecular sieves require additional work,such as pressure swing, or temperature sieving manipulations to effectseparation.

The main limiting factor is the size of the opening through which thegas needed to pass cannot be controlled or structured to eliminate thatas a function of the so called permeation coefficient.

In response to this true molecular sieve concepts create a channel,pore, or hole, which are uniformly sized paths through a material whichare sized according to the requirement of the gases chosen to separate.

If a simple mixture of oxygen and nitrogen are taken as an example,Table 1 shows oxygen is slightly smaller than nitrogen in its effectiveworking diameter. Therefore, if paths are formed which are too small fornitrogen (3.64 Å) but larger than that of oxygen (3.46 Å), then oxygencan be separated from nitrogen.

In other systems such as membranes, the separation is a function ofsolution diffusion, and is thereforer very slow. In molecular sievezeolites, the system is charged, discharged and recharged, a cycleoperation and must be given time to go through the cycle and requiresmore energy. A “true” molecular sieve is a near instantaneous processsince the linear velocity of gas molecules is on the order of magnitude600 meters per second, the time required to transit the pathway is onthe order of magnitude of a fraction of a second, so the passage ofcontinuous flow is established, If the number of pathways is large, thequantity of gas passing a unit area is larger than for organic membranesor zeolites.

Calculations for oxygen passage through a true molecular sieve having afive percent opening (paths) area show that a square meter of such adevice would allow 3.46 Å—effective working diameter of oxygen-gasmolecules to pass in ton quantities per day. Molecular sieve zeolitetechnology to produce such quantities would be a literal factory withtons of bed material. No other system would compare.

EXAMPLE 1

Oxygen having a working diameter of 3.46 Å (a pore diameter of 3.55 Å isused for ease of passage) has an area of$\quad {A = {\left( {\frac{1}{2}D} \right)^{2}\pi}}$$A_{pore} = {{\left( \frac{3.55\quad A}{2} \right)^{2}\pi} = {{(1.77)^{2}\pi} = {9.84\quad A}}}$$\begin{matrix}{{1\quad {square}\quad {meter}} = \quad {10^{10} \times 10^{10}\quad Å^{2}}} \\{= \quad {10^{20}\quad Å^{2}}}\end{matrix}$

 5% open=0.05×10²⁰ Å²

number of pores is$\frac{{.05} \times 10^{20}\quad A^{2}}{9.90\quad A^{2}} = {5.05 \times 10^{17}}$

(1.77 Å produces an A_(pore)=9.84 Å whereas 1.78 Å produces anA_(pore)=9.95 Å, so an average of 9.90 Å is used)

Time of passage taken as 1×10⁻⁶ sec; then$\frac{5.05 \times 10^{17}}{1 \times 10^{- 6}} = {5.05 \times 10^{23}}$

 molecules per second

5.05×10²³ molecules of oxygen per second

One mole of oxygen is 32 grams. Avagadro's number is 6.02×10²³

Therefore:${\frac{5.05 \times 10^{23}}{6.02 \times 10^{23}} \times 32} = {{0.83\quad {mole} \times 32{\quad \quad}g\text{/}{mole}} = {26.6\quad g\text{/}{\sec.}}}$

Per day: 0.83 mole/sec of oxygen gives since

24 hours is 84,600 sec

this is:

0.83 mole/sec×84,600 sec=70,218 moles×32g/mole=(71,903,232 g/day/m²)(158,203 lbs./day/m²) (79.1 tons/day/m²)

Although many methods of synthesis for the gas separator are possible, asilicon oxygen polymeric material generally described as a POSS materialis preferred in one embodiment. FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a monomer, aprepolymer, and a polymeric form. Calculations have shown that of thePOSS T8 (wherein “T#” refers to the number of tetrahedral silicon atomsin the cage), T10 and T12 cubes, the T12 cube.

The diameter of T8 is 15 Å, so it is a cube of face area of 225 Å². Theenlargement to T12 makes a Roganite size face with an internal openingabout 4 Å, but must be a cube somewhat larger than the T8. Forsimplicity, assume a 25×25×25 cube; and that they are located 3 to 5 Åapart,

(2 carbons=4 Å and 4 carbons=8 Å).

(33 Å)²=1089 Å²

(4 Å/2 Å)²π=12.6 Å²$\frac{12.6\quad Å^{2}}{1089\quad Å^{2}} = {1.116\quad \% \quad {openings}}$

 1 m² =10 ²⁰ Å²

therefore 1 m² has:

10²⁰ Å²×1.16%=1.16×10¹⁸ holes.

1 atom/hole/10⁻⁶ sec is 1.16×10²⁴ atoms/sec.$\frac{1.16 \times 10^{24}}{6.06 \times 10^{23}} = {1.9\quad {mole}\text{/}\sec}$

If oxygen then:

1.9 mole/sec×32 g/mole×86,400 sec/day5,253,120×10² g/day Or: 5.78 tonsoxygen/day/m².

As an alternate method of variably selecting hole sizes in a truemolecular sieve for separation of gases, the pores or holes may beformed by various micro-machining methods such as ablation, vapordeposition, etching by ions, chemical solutions, augmented by laserlight, heat, or ultraviolet light, masked or unmasked, templating,inverse opal methods, or any system that allows uniform openings to beprepared. Initially, a thin film of aluminum or other metal could besputtered onto a metal, ceramic, or organic substrate. The metal ischosen based upon the desired depth of sputtering and the latticeconstant of the metal. For instance, if a sputter depth of 3.2 Å isdesired, then it would be preferred to use a metal having a latticeconstant of 3.2 Å. Typical metals which can be used are iron, copper,nickel, chromium, cobalt, gold, silver, titanium, silicon and lead.Then, by one of the methods mentioned above, the thin film would beremoved in a specific pattern based on the use of a photo-resist mask.The resist would then be removed, leaving tracks or channels in the thinfilm. It would not be necessary to control the widths of these tracks,so any micro-machining method could be used. The only critical dimensionis depth, and this can be controlled by variables such as the etchantused or the time of exposure to the catalyst light. The depth of thetracks could also be controlled by the type of metal in the thin film,since different metals have different lattice constants, and the removalof a few atoms of one metal would create a track of a different depththan the removal of the same number of atoms of a different metal. Thestructure of the thin film containing tracks is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Once the channels have been created in the metallic thin film, thestructure could be cut into parallel pieces and assembled as a sandwich(FIG. 6), supported by a mechanical system so the assembly will allowthe passage of gases. If necessary, the layers could be assembled byplacing the thin metallic films in contact with each other, and removingthe substrate by methods previously described. This approach wouldeliminate the thickness of the substrate from the final assembly,thereby resulting in a higher level of porosity. An alternate method ofcreating the porous structure would be to make a long thin film, andthen roll the film as in FIG. 5.

As a third method of selecting hole sizes in a true molecular sieve,very small spheres (microspheres) of a uniform and appropriate diametercan be pressed into a porous pellet. Close packing of spheres results ina pore volume of approximately 74%. However, the largest continuous porediameter within a structure of close-packed spheres is 15.4% of thediameter of the spheres (FIG. 8). Thus, spheres of a diameter of 5 nm(50 Å) would press into a porous compact in which the maximum continuouspore size would be approximately 7.7 Å. If the spheres deformed duringpressing, or as the result of other consolidation procedures such assintering, even smaller pores would be created for a given size ofsphere (FIG. 9). For example, it can be shown that at 8% deformation ofthe spheres, the pore size is reduced to approximately 6% of theoriginal sphere diameter. Thus, the same 5-nm spheres would produce astructure with 3.12 Å.

In each of the following Examples, the values of weight percent (wt %)are measured as a percentage of the total weight of the mixture. Theunits of “mμ” refer to 1×10⁻⁶ meters.

EXAMPLE 2

A porous film is prepared by mixing 30 wt % of octa vinyl POSS with 68wt % polydimethylsiloxane (a silicone film former) and curing with 2 wt% benzoyl peroxide at 60° C. for 1 hour. The combined mixture is coatedon a 0.2 mμ stainless steel filter support.

EXAMPLE 3

A porous film for separating carbon dioxide and methane is prepared bymixing 40 wt % gamma-cyclodextrin-hydroxypropyl derivative with 60 wt %VixTx (POSS vinyl resin). This mixture is dissolved in denatured alcoholand cast into a film on a 0.2 mμ stainless steel support. No curingagent is required.

EXAMPLE 4

A porous film for separating methane and nitrogen is prepared bydissolving 50 wt % polyvinyl POSS (VixTx) resin and 50 wt % VnTn (POSS8, 10 and 12 cages) in tetrahydrofuran and cast on a 0.2 mμ stainlesssteel support. No curing agent is required.

EXAMPLE 5

A porous film for separating air components from higher molecularhydrocarbons in recovery of propane, hexanes, pentanes, and/or butanesfrom waste streams is prepared by dispersing 50% by weight polyvinylPOSS (VixTx) resin and 50 wt % dodecyl phenyl T₁₂ in tetrahydrofuran andcoating the dispersion on a 0.2mμ stainless steel filter support. Nocuring agent is required.

EXAMPLE 6

A porous film for oxygen enhancement (the degree of which is related tothe POSS concentration) prepared by mixing 50% by weight methylmethacrylate, 48 wt % vinyl POSS cages (T₈ (VnTn POSS), T₁₀, T₁₂), and 2wt % curing agent are made into a film on a 0.2 mμ stainless steelsupport.

EXAMPLE 7

A porous film for separating gases prepared by mixing 20% by weight ofpoly(vinylsilsesquioxane), 40%1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane(octavinyl POSS), and 38% dimethylsiloxane in tetrahydrofuran, adding 2%benzoyl peroxide. The mixture is coated on a 0.2 mμ stainless steelfilter support.

EXAMPLE 8

A porous film for separating gases prepared by mixing 54% by weightstyrene, 4 wt % divinylbenzene, 40 wt %1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octa-siloxane(octavinyl POSS), and in tetrahydrofuran, then adding 2 wt % benzoylperoxide. The mixture is coated on a 0.2 mμ stainless steel filtersupport.

EXAMPLE 9

A porous film for separating gases prepared by separately forming twomixtures: in a reaction flask, 40 wt %1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octa-siloxane(octavinyl POSS) is combined with tetrahydrofuran, followed by adding 2wt % benzoyl peroxide; and in a second reaction flask, 54% by weightstyrene and 4 wt % divinylbenzene are combined with tetrahydrofuran. Thetwo mixtures are then combined in a single flask. The combined mixtureis coated on a 0.2 mμ stainless steel filter support.

What is claimed is:
 1. A permeable porous material for separating amixture of gases by selectable pore size exclusion, comprising poresformed with at least one nanostructured compound, wherein the at leastone nanostructured compound is optionally substituted and is selectedfrom the group consisting of a polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane(POSS), zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin, foldamer, cyclodextrin andmixtures thereof, wherein the POSS has a molecular formula of:Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n) wherein n is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is a reactivesubstituent.
 2. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 1,wherein n is 8, 10, 12 or
 14. 3. A permeable porous material forseparating a mixture of gases by selectable pore size exclusion,comprising pores formed with at least one nanostructured compound,wherein the at least one nanostructured compound is optionallysubstituted and is selected from the group consisting of a polyhedraloligomeric silsequioxane (POSS), zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin,foldamer, cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof, wherein the POSS isselected from the group consisting of: 1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentayclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentayclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 4. A permeable porousmaterial for separating a mixture of gases by selectable pore sizeexclusion, comprising pores formed with at least one nanostructuredcompound, wherein said at least one nanostructured compound ispoly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 5. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 4, further comprising a film forming agent.
 6. Thegas permeable porous material according to claim 4, further comprising acuring agent.
 7. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 4,further comprising a film forming agent and a curing agent.
 8. Apermeable porous material for separating a mixture of gases byselectable pore size exclusion, comprising pores formed with at leastone nanostructured compound, wherein said at least one nanostructuredcompound includes 30% or more polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane (POSS)by weight.
 9. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8,wherein said at least one nanostructured compound is a repeat unit in anoligomer or polymer.
 10. The gas permeable porous material according toclaim 8, further comprising at least one of a film forming agent and acuring agent.
 11. The gas permeable porous material according to claim10, wherein said at least one nanostructured compound is bonded througha reactive group to the film forming agent.
 12. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 10, wherein the film forming agent has atleast one polymeric unit selected from the group consisting ofpolyvinyl, polycarbonate, polyurethane, poly(diorgano)siloxane,polysulfone, polyamide, poly(epoxide), polyepichlorohydrin, polyether,polyester, polyketone, and polyalkylene.
 13. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 12, wherein the film forming agent is ablend of at least two different polymers or is a random or blockcopolymer of at least two different polymeric units.
 14. The gaspermeable porous material according to claim 12, wherein theorgano-group of the poly(diorgano)siloxane is selected from the groupconsisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl,tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; wherein the polyvinylis selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinylalcohol-co-ethylene), polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide, poly(vinylacetate), poly(alkyl)acrylate, poly(alkyl)methacrylate, poly(acrylicacid) or salt thereof, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, poly(vinylsulfonic acid) or salt thereof, and poly(vinyl methyl ketone); whereinthe polyether is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethyleneglycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(ethylene terephthalate),poly(ethylene succinate), polyacetal, and polytetrahydrofuran; andwherein the polyalkylene is selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene, polypropylene and polybutadiene.
 15. The gas permeableporous material according to claim 14, wherein the alkyl group of thepoly(alkyl)acrylate or poly(alkyl)methacrylate is selected from thegroup consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, butyl and2-ethylhexyl.
 16. The gas permeable porous material according to claim10, wherein the curing agent is a peroxide.
 17. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 10, wherein the material has 10¹⁵ to 10²⁰pores/m².
 18. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 10,wherein the material has 10¹⁶ to 10¹⁸ pores/m².
 19. A method ofpreparing the gas permeable porous material according to claim 10,comprising polymerizing a composition comprising a nanostructuredcompound.
 20. The method according to claim 19, further comprisingreacting the polymeric nanostructured compound with a film formingagent.
 21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising adding apoly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 22. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 8, wherein the selectable pore size exclusion is afunction of the effective working diameter of the gas atoms ormolecules.
 23. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8,wherein the at least one nanostructured compound is further selectedfrom the group consisting of a zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin,foldamer, cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof.
 24. The gas permeableporous material according to claim 8, wherein the at least onenanostructured compound is substituted with an alcohol, alkoxysilane,amine, chlorosilane, epoxide, ester, halide, methacrylate, molecularsilica, nitrile, norbornene, olefin, phosphine, silane, silanol, orstyrene.
 25. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8,wherein the POSS has a molecular formula of: Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n) whereinn is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is a reactive substituent.
 26. The gaspermeable porous material according to claim 25, wherein n is 8, 10, 12or
 14. 27. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8,wherein the POSS is selected from the group consisting of:1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3.9),1^(15.15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 28. A porous filmwhich is selectively permeable to gases, comprising the porous materialaccording to claim
 8. 29. An apparatus for separating a mixture of gasesby size exclusion, comprising a chamber made of a gas impermeablematerial, wherein the chamber has an opening sealed with a porous filmwhich is selectively permeable to gases as defined in claim
 28. 30. Theapparatus for separating a mixture of gases by size exclusion accordingto claim 29, wherein the apparatus has n chambers in a series with n−1porous films, wherein each chamber has at least one opening sealed withthe porous film in communication with an opening in another chamber, andwherein n is a whole number greater than
 2. 31. The apparatus forseparating a mixture of gases by size exclusion according to claim 30,wherein n is a whole number greater than 2 and the openings in theseries of chambers are sealed with porous films having a decreasingaverage pore size.
 32. The apparatus for separating a mixture of gasesby size exclusion according to claim 31, wherein a series of openingsare sealed with porous films having an average pore size of ˜3.55 Å,˜3.4 Å and ˜3.0 Å.
 33. A method of separating a mixture of at least twogases by size exclusion, comprising contacting the mixture of gases witha gas permeable porous film as defined in claim 28, wherein the gaspermeable porous film has pores which do not allow permeation of atleast one gas.
 34. The method of separating a mixture of at least twogases according to claim 33, wherein the mixture of gases is air. 35.The method of separating a mixture of at least two gases according toclaim 34, wherein the mixture of gases includes nitrogen and oxygen. 36.The method of separating a mixture of at least two gases according toclaim 34, wherein the mixture of gases is an industrial exhaust mixtureof gases.
 37. The method of separating a mixture of at least two gasesaccording to claim 36, wherein gases which are harmful to theenvironment are isolated from the industrial exhaust mixture of gases.38. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8, wherein saidat least one nanostructured compound is poly(vinylsilsesquioxane). 39.The gas permeable porous material according to claim 38, furthercomprising a film forming agent.
 40. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 38, further comprising a curing agent.
 41. The gaspermeable porous material according to claim 38, further comprising afilm forming agent and a curing agent.
 42. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 8, further comprising a film forming agent.43. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 8, furthercomprising a curing agent.
 44. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 8, further comprising a film forming agent and acuring agent.
 45. A permeable porous material for separating a mixtureof gases by selectable pore size exclusion comprising: at least onenanostructured compound having naturally occurring pores wherein thenaturally occurring pores contribute to the gas separation by selectablepore size exclusion and/or creates pores by disturbing surroundingstructure wherein the created pores contribute to the gas separation byselectable pore size exclusion.
 46. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 45, wherein said at least one nanostructured compoundis a repeat unit in an oligomer or polymer.
 47. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 45, further comprising at least one of afilm forming agent and a curing agent.
 48. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 47, wherein said at least one nanostructuredcompound is bonded through a reactive group to the film forming agent.49. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 47, wherein thefilm forming agent has at least one polymeric unit selected from thegroup consisting of polyvinyl, polycarbonate, polyurethane,poly(diorgano)siloxane, polysulfone, polyamide, poly(epoxide),polyepichlorohydrin, polyether, polyester, polyketone, and polyalkylene.50. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 49, wherein thefilm forming agent is a blend of at least two different polymers or is arandom or block copolymer of at least two different polymeric units. 51.The gas permeable porous material according to claim 41, wherein theorgano-group of the poly(diorgano)siloxane is selected from the groupconsisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl,tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; wherein the polyvinylis selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinylalcohol-co-ethylene), polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide, poly(vinylacetate), poly(alkyl)acrylate, poly(alkyl)methacrylate, poly(acrylicacid) or salt thereof, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, poly(vinylsulfonic acid) or salt thereof, and poly(vinyl methyl ketone); whereinthe polyether is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethyleneglycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(ethylene terephthalate),poly(ethylene succinate), polyacetal, and polytetrahydrofuran; andwherein the polyalkylene is selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene, polypropylene and polybutadiene.
 52. The gas permeableporous material according to claim 51, wherein the alkyl group of thepoly(alkyl)acrylate or poly(alkyl)methacrylate is selected from thegroup consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, butyl and2-ethylhexyl.
 53. The gas permeable porous material according to claim47, wherein the curing agent is a peroxide.
 54. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 47, wherein the material has 10¹⁵ to 10²⁰pores/m².
 55. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 47,wherein the material has 10¹⁶ to 10¹⁸ pores/m².
 56. A method ofpreparing the gas permeable porous material according to claim 49,comprising polymerizing a composition comprising a nanostructuredcompound.
 57. The method according to claim 56, further comprisingreacting the polymeric nanostructured compound with a film formingagent.
 58. The method according to claim 59, further comprising adding apoly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 59. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 45, wherein the selectable pore size exclusion is afunction of the effective working diameter of the gas atoms ormolecules.
 60. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 45,wherein the at least one nanostructured compound is selected from thegroup consisting of a polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane (POSS),zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin, foldamer, cyclodextrin and mixturesthereof.
 61. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 60,wherein the POSS has a molecular formula of: Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n) whereinn is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is a reactive substituent.
 62. The gaspermeable porous material according to claim 61, wherein n is 8, 10, 12or
 14. 63. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 60,wherein the POSS is selected from the group consisting of:1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15.15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15.15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane; POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylperitacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 64. The gas permeableporous material according to claim 45, wherein the at least onenanostructured compound is substituted with an alcohol, alkoxysilane,amine, chlorosilane, epoxide, ester, halide, methacrylate, molecularsilica, nitrile, norbornene, olefin, phosphine, silane, silanol, orstyrene.
 65. A porous film which is selectively permeable to gases,comprising the porous material according to claim
 45. 66. An apparatusfor separating a mixture of gases by size exclusion, comprising achamber made of a gas impermeable material, wherein the chamber has anopening sealed with a porous film which is selectively permeable togases as defined in claim
 65. 67. The apparatus for separating a mixtureof gases by size exclusion according to claim 66, wherein the apparatushas n chambers in a series with n−1 porous films, wherein each chamberhas at least one opening sealed with the porous film in communicationwith an opening in another chamber, and wherein n is a whole numbergreater than
 2. 68. The apparatus for separating a mixture of gases bysize exclusion according to claim 67, wherein n is a whole numbergreater than 2 and the openings in the series of chambers are sealedwith porous films having a decreasing average pore size.
 69. Theapparatus for separating a mixture of gases by size exclusion accordingto claim 68, wherein a series of openings are sealed with porous filmshaving an average pore size of ˜3.55 Å, ˜3.4 Å and 3.0 Å.
 70. A methodof separating a mixture of at least two gases by size exclusion,comprising contacting the mixture of gases with a gas permeable porousfilm as defined in claim 65, wherein the gas permeable porous film haspores which do not allow permeation of at least one gas.
 71. The methodof separating a mixture of at least two gases according to claim 70,wherein the mixture of gases is air.
 72. The method of separating amixture of at least two gases according to claim 70, wherein the mixtureof gases includes nitrogen and oxygen.
 73. The method of separating amixture of at least two gases according to claim 70, wherein the mixtureof gases is an industrial exhaust mixture of gases.
 74. The method ofseparating a mixture of at least two gases according to claim 73,wherein gases which are harmful to the environment are isolated from theindustrial exhaust mixture of gases.
 75. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 45, wherein said at least one nanostructuredcompound is poly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 76. The gas permeable porousmaterial according to claim 75, further comprising a film forming agent.77. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 75, furthercomprising a curing agent.
 78. The gas permeable porous materialaccording to claim 75, further comprising a film forming agent and acuring agent.
 79. The gas permeable porous material according to claim45, further comprising a film forming agent.
 80. The gas permeableporous material according to claim 45, further comprising a curingagent.
 81. The gas permeable porous material according to claim 45,further comprising a film forming agent and a curing agent.
 82. Apermeable porous material for separating a mixture of gases byselectable pore size exclusion, comprising pores formed with at leastone nanostructured compound, wherein the at least one nanostructurecompound is a polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane (POSS) selected fromthe group consisting of: 1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5.15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 83. An apparatus forseparating a mixture of gases by size exclusion, comprising a chambermade of a gas impermeable material, wherein the chamber has an openingsealed with a porous film which is selectively permeable to gases, theporous film including permeable porous material for separating a mixtureof gases by selectable pore size exclusion, wherein pores are formedwithin at least one nanostructured compound, wherein the apparatus has nchambers in a series with n−1 porous films, wherein each chamber has atleast one opening sealed with the porous film in communication with anopening in another chamber, wherein n is a whole number greater than 2and the openings in the series of chambers are sealed with porous filmshaving a decreasing average pore size, wherein a series of openings aresealed with porous films having an average pore size of ˜3.55 Å, ˜3.4 Åand ˜3.0 Å.
 84. A method of preparing the gas permeable porous materialfor separating a mixture of gases by selectable pore size exclusion,wherein pores are formed in at least one nanostructured compound, thegas permeable porous material including at least one of a film formingagent and a curing agent, comprising: polymerizing a compositioncomprising a nanostructured compound, and reacting the polymericnanostructured compound with a film forming agent, and combining a poly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 85. A method of preparing a gas permeablematerial, comprising: selecting at least one nanostructured compoundincluding 30% or more polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane (POSS) byweight; and polymerizing the at least one nanostructured compound toobtain the gas permeable material for separating a mixture of gases byselectable pore size exclusion.
 86. The method according to claim 85,wherein said at least one nanostructured compound is a repeat unit in anoligomer or polymer.
 87. The method according to claim 85, furthercomprising adding at least one of a film forming agent and a curingagent.
 88. The method according to claim 87, further comprising bondingthe at least one nanostructured compound through a reactive group to thefilm forming agent.
 89. The method according to claim 87, wherein thefilm forming agent has at least one polymeric unit selected from thegroup consisting of polyvinyl, polycarbonate, polyurethane,poly(diorgano)siloxane, polysulfone, polyamide, poly(epoxide),polyepichlorohydrin, polyether, polyester, polyketone, and polyalkylene.90. The method according to claim 89, wherein the film forming agent isa blend of at least two different polymers or is a random or blockcopolymer of at least two different polymeric units.
 91. The methodaccording to claim 89, wherein the organo-group of thepoly(diorgano)siloxane is selected from the group consisting of methyl,ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl,hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; wherein the polyvinyl is selected from thegroup consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene),polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide, poly(vinyl acetate),poly(alkyl)acrylate, poly(alkyl)methacrylate, poly(acrylic acid) or saltthereof, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) orsalt thereof, and poly(vinyl methyl ketone); wherein the polyether isselected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene glycol),poly(propylene glycol), poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylenesuccinate), polyacetal, and polytetrahydrofuran; and wherein thepolyalkylene is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene,polypropylene and polybutadiene.
 92. The method according to claim 91,wherein the alkyl group of the poly(alkyl)acrylate orpoly(alkyl)methacrylate is selected from the group consisting of methyl,ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, butyl and 2-ethylhexyl.
 93. The methodaccording to claim 87, wherein the curing agent is a peroxide.
 94. Themethod according to claim 87, wherein the material has 10¹⁵ to 10²⁰pores/m².
 95. The method according to claim 87, wherein the material has10¹⁶ to 10¹⁸ pores/m².
 96. The method according to claim 85, wherein theselectable pore size exclusion is a function of the effective workingdiameter of the gas atoms or molecules.
 97. The method according toclaim 85, wherein the at least one nanostructured compound is furtherselected from the group consisting of a zeolite, cyclomacroether,porphyrin, foldamer, cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof.
 98. The methodaccording to claim 85, wherein the at least one nanostructured compoundis substituted with an alcohol, alkoxysilane, amine, chlorosilane,epoxide, ester, halide, methacrylate, molecular silica, nitrile,norbornene, olefin, phosphine, silane, silanol, or styrene.
 99. Themethod according to claim 85, wherein the POSS has a molecular formulaof:  Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n) wherein n is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is areactive substituent.
 100. The method according to claim 99, wherein nis 8, 10, 12 or
 14. 101. The method according to claim 85, wherein thePOSS is selected from the group consisting of: 1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3,propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(7,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacry)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 102. A porous filmwhich is selectively permeable to gases, made from the method of claim85.
 103. An apparatus for separating a mixture of gases by sizeexclusion, comprising a chamber made of a gas impermeable material,wherein the chamber has an opening sealed with a porous film which isselectively permeable to gases as prepared in claim
 102. 104. Theapparatus for separating a mixture of gases by size exclusion accordingto claim 103, wherein the apparatus has n chambers in a series with n−1porous films, wherein each chamber has at least one opening sealed withthe porous film in communication with an opening in another chamber, andwherein n is a whole number greater than
 2. 105. The apparatus forseparating a mixture of gases by size exclusion according to claim 104,wherein n is a whole number greater than 2 and the openings in theseries of chambers are sealed with porous films having a decreasingaverage pore size.
 106. The apparatus for separating a mixture of gasesby size exclusion according to claim 105, wherein a series of openingsare sealed with porous films having an average pore size of ˜3.55 Å,˜3.4 Å and ˜3.0 Å.
 107. A method of separating a mixture of at least twogases by size exclusion, comprising contacting the mixture of gases witha gas permeable porous film as prepared in claim 102, wherein the gaspermeable porous film has pores which do not allow permeation of atleast one gas.
 108. The method of separating a mixture of at least twogases according to claim 107, wherein the mixture of gases is air. 109.The method of separating a mixture of at least two gases according toclaim 107, wherein the mixture of gases includes nitrogen and oxygen.110. The method of separating a mixture of at least two gases accordingto claim 107, wherein the mixture of gases is an industrial exhaustmixture of gases.
 111. The method of separating a mixture of at leasttwo gases according to claim 110, wherein gases which are harmful to theenvironment are isolated from the industrial exhaust mixture of gases.112. The method according to claim 85, wherein said at least onenanostructured compound is poly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 113. The methodaccording to claim 112, further comprising adding a film forming agent.114. The method according to claim 112, further comprising adding acuring agent.
 115. The method according to claim 112, further comprisingadding a film forming agent and a curing agent.
 116. The methodaccording to claim 85, further comprising adding a film forming agent.117. The method according to claim 85, further comprising adding acuring agent.
 118. The method according to claim 85, further comprisingadding a film forming agent and a curing agent.
 119. A method ofpreparing a gas permeable material, comprising: selecting at least onenanostructured compound having naturally occurring pores; andpolymerizing the at least one nanostructured compound to obtain the gaspermeable material, wherein the naturally occurring pores contribute togas separation by selectable pore size exclusion and/or the at least onenanostructured compound creates pores by disturbing surroundingstructure wherein the created pores contribute to the gas separation byselectable pore size exclusion.
 120. The method according to claim 119,wherein said at least one nanostructured compound is a repeat unit in anoligomer or polymer.
 121. The method according to claim 119, furthercomprising at least one of a film forming agent and a curing agent. 122.The method according to claim 121, further comprising bonding at leastone nanostructured compound through a reactive group to the film formingagent.
 123. The method according to claim 121, wherein the curing agentis a peroxide.
 124. The method according to claim 121, wherein thematerial has 10¹⁵ to 10²⁰ pores/m².
 125. The method according to claim121, wherein the material has 10¹⁶ to 10¹⁸ pores/m².
 126. The methodaccording to claim 119, wherein the selectable pore size exclusion is afunction of the effective working diameter of the gas atoms ormolecules.
 127. The method according to claim 126, wherein the filmforming agent has at least one polymeric unit selected from the groupconsisting of polyvinyl, polycarbonate, polyurethane,poly(diorgano)siloxane, polysulfone, polyamide, poly(epoxide),polyepichlorohydrin, polyether, polyester, polyketone, and polyalkylene.128. The method according to claim 127, wherein the film forming agentis a blend of at least two different polymers or is a random or blockcopolymer of at least two different polymeric units.
 129. The methodaccording to claim 127, wherein the organo-group of thepoly(diorgano)siloxane is selected from the group consisting of methyl,ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl,hexyl, cyclohexyl and phenyl; wherein the polyvinyl is selected from thegroup consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene),polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide, poly(vinyl acetate),poly(alkyl)acrylate, poly(alkyl)methacrylate, poly(acrylic acid) or saltthereof, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, poly(vinyl sulfonic acid) orsalt thereof, and poly(vinyl methyl ketone); wherein the polyether isselected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene glycol),poly(propylene glycol), poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(ethylenesuccinate), polyacetal, and polytetrahydrofuran; and wherein thepolyalkylene is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene,polypropylene and polybutadiene.
 130. The method according to claim 129,wherein the alkyl group of the poly(alkyl)acrylate orpoly(alkyl)methacrylate is selected from the group consisting of methyl,ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, butyl and 2-ethylhexyl.
 131. The methodaccording to claim 119, wherein the at least one nanostructured compoundis selected from the group consisting of polyhedral oligomericsilsequioxane (POSS) a zeolite, cyclomacroether, porphyrin, foldamer,cyclodextrin and mixtures thereof.
 132. The method according to claim131, wherein the POSS has a molecular formula of: Si_(n)O_(3/2n)R_(n)wherein n is 4-36, 48 or 60, and R is a reactive substituent.
 133. Thegas permeable porous material according to claim 132, wherein n is 8,10, 12 or
 14. 134. The method according to claim 131, wherein the POSSis selected from the group consisting of: 1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane:1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15.15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof.
 135. The methodaccording to claim 119, wherein the at least one nanostructured compoundis substituted with an alcohol, alkoxysilane, amine, chlorosilane,epoxide, ester, halide, methacrylate, molecular silica, nitrile,norbornene, olefin, phosphine, silane, silanol, or styrene.
 136. Aporous film which is selectively permeable to gases, made from themethod of claim
 119. 137. An apparatus for separating a mixture of gasesby size exclusion, comprising a chamber made of a gas impermeablematerial, wherein the chamber has an opening sealed with a porous filmwhich is selectively permeable to gases as prepared in claim
 135. 138.The apparatus for separating a mixture of gases by size exclusionaccording to claim 137, wherein the apparatus has n chambers in a serieswith n−1 porous films, wherein each chamber has at least one openingsealed with the porous film in communication with an opening in anotherchamber, and wherein n is a whole number greater than
 2. 139. Theapparatus for separating a mixture of gases by size exclusion accordingto claim 138, wherein n is a whole number greater than 2 and theopenings in the series of chambers are sealed with porous films having adecreasing average pore size.
 140. The apparatus for separating amixture of gases by size exclusion according to claim 139, wherein aseries of openings are sealed with porous films having an average poresize of ˜3.55 Å, ˜3.4 Å and ˜3.0 Å.
 141. A method of separating amixture of at least two gases by size exclusion, comprising contactingthe mixture of gases with a gas permeable porous film as prepared inclaim 136, wherein the gas permeable porous film has pores which do notallow permeation of at least one gas.
 142. The method of separating amixture of at least two gases according to claim 141, wherein themixture of gases is air.
 143. The method of separating a mixture of atleast two gases according to claim 141, wherein the mixture of gasesincludes nitrogen and oxygen.
 144. The method of separating a mixture ofat least two gases according to claim 141, wherein the mixture of gasesis an industrial exhaust mixture of gases.
 145. The method of separatinga mixture of at least two gases according to claim 144, wherein gaseswhich are harmful to the environment are isolated from the industrialexhaust mixture of gases.
 146. The method according to claim 119,wherein said at least one nanostructured compound ispoly(vinylsilsesquioxane).
 147. The method according to claim 146,further comprising adding a film forming agent.
 148. The methodaccording to claim 146, further comprising a curing agent.
 149. Themethod according to claim 146, further comprising a film forming agentand a curing agent.
 150. The method according to claim 119, furthercomprising adding a film forming agent.
 151. The method according toclaim 119, further comprising adding a curing agent.
 152. The methodaccording to claim 119, further comprising adding a film forming agentand a curing agent.
 153. A method of preparing a gas permeable material,comprising: selecting at least one nanostructured compound wherein theat least one nanostructural compound is a polyhedral oligomericsilsequioxane (POSS) selected from the group consisting of:1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(1,3-propanediol-2-ethyl-2-methyloxy)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[(2-methyl,2-hydroxy)butyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(ethoxydimethylsilyl)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(diethoxymethylsilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9),1^(15,15),1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes; POSS-DiMethylol-urethanes;1-chloro-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(dichloromethylsilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(trichlorosilyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(chlorodimethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(dichloromethylsilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[3-(trichlorosilyl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(chlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5.15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-[2-(dichlorodimethylsilyl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(2-epoxy)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexyl-3-epoxy)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins;1,3,5,7,9-octavinyl-11,13,15-epoxyethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1.^(3,9).1.^(15,15).1.^(17,13)]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tris[1-(3-dimethylsiloxy)propyloxy-2,3-epoxypropyl]-1,3,5,7,9,11,14,-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1,^(5,11)]-heptasiloxane;1-(methylpropionato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-(ethylundecanoato)-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[(3-chloro)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[4-chlorophenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[chlorobenzyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(chlorobenzyl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(methacryl)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1-(trimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyl-7-[3-(methacryl)propyl]-7-methyltetracyclo[9.5.1.1^(5,11).1^(9,15)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9-pentavinyl-11,13,15-[1-hydroxy-2-(methacryl)ethyl]pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11-hexacyclohexyltetracyclo[5.5.1.13,11.15,9]hexasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclohexylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octaphenylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octamethylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13,)]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)pentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;POSS-modified Nylon 6;1-[(3-cyano)propyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(Norbornen-2-yl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(ethylnorbornenylPOSS-co-norbornene);1,1,3,3-(Norbornenyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1-[3-(allylbisphenolA)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[3-(allylbiphenol)propyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15heptacyclopentylpentacyclo-[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15-octavinylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-vinyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-allyl-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(cyclohexen-3-yl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylvinyl-co-methylethylsiloxyPOSS)siloxane;POSS-diepoxide resins; POSS-BisPhenol A-urethanes;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-[2(diphenylphosphino)propyl]3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.1^(3,9).1^(5,15).1^(7,13)]octasiloxane;1-hydrido-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[hydridodimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-tri(dimethylsilylhydrido)-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(hydridodimethylsiloxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;Poly(dimethyl-co-methylhydrido-co-methylpropylPOSS)siloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;endo-3,7,14-trihydroxy-1,3,5,7,9,11,14-heptacyclohexyltricyclo[7.3.3.15,11]heptasiloxane;1-hydroxy-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1,1,3,3-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3-dicyclohexyldisiloxane;1,3,5,7-(tetrahydroxy)-1,3,5,7-(tetraphenyl)cyclotetrasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;endo-7,14-dihydroxy-3-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyldimethylsiloxy)-1,3,5,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentyltricyclo[7.3.3.1^(5,11)]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyldimethylsiloxy]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;1-[(4-vinyl)phenyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]octasiloxane;1-[2-(styryl)ethyl]-3,5,7,9,11,13,15-heptacyclopentylpentacyclo[9.5.1.13,9.15,15.17,13]-octasiloxane;Poly(styrylPOSS-co-styrene); poly(vinylsilsesquioxane); T10 compound,T12 compound, T14 compound, and mixtures thereof; and polymerizing theat least one nanostructured compound to obtain the gas permeablematerial for separating a mixture of gases by selectable pore sizeexclusion.
 154. A method of preparing a gas permeable porous materialcomprising: sputtering a metal film on a metal, ceramic, or organicsubstrate, forming a film of a photoresist resin on the film, curing thephotoresist resin in a predetermined pattern by laser light, removinguncured photoresist resin thereby forming a masked metal film, applyinga predetermined amount of an etchant solution to the masked metal filmto form tracks or channels in the film, and enclosing the tracks orchannels with a second metal film.